Automatic train-stop.



F. G. BASTIAN.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.22,1913

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

IIVI/EIVTOR Gr. Bas'l'ian Frederic k ATTORNEYS F. G. BASTIAN.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1913v Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

% y w M By 7%W ATTORNEYS F. G. BASTIAN.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1913.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

8 WITNESS s H mm my Wm V e k V .m B H m m F ATTORNEYS ,hTT orricnFREDERICK GEOB G'E BASTIAN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-STOP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. Bas TIA), a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Buiialo, in the county of Erie and State ofNew York, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Train-Stop, ofwhich the following'is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to apparatus for stopping a. railway train byautomatically applying the brakes in the event the engineer ignores thesignal.

It is a design of my invention to provide an improved means forreleasing the air in the train line of the brake system, to reduce thepressure in the train pipe for applying the brakes, by partiallyexhausting the air into an exhaust reservoir instead of directly intothe atmosphere, whereby the. pressure in the said reservoir and trainpipe will be I equalized after the brakes-have been applied and thetrain stopped.

It is a further design of my invention to automatically cut ofi thetrain line from the main reservoir when the brake is: automaticallyapplied, so that the brakes cannot be released by the engineer until hehas deliberately restored the system to operative condition after theautomatic operation.

It is a further design of my invention to provide an automaticbrake-operating means that will effect an application of the brakes intwo stages.

The invention hasalso for its design, a novel, automatically -operatedvalve commanding communication between the main reservoir and the trainpipe.

It is furthermore a design of'the invention to improve in variousparticulars appara-tus of the general character indicated, to the. endthat efiiciency in operation may be promoted, as well as simplicity ofadjustment and control.

The distinguishing features of my invention will be further elucidatedand the important structural elements characterizing the practicalembodiment which is illustrated as an example will be more particularlyexplained in the specific description hereinafter to be given.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a partofthis specifi cation, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, with parts.

Specification of Letters Patent.

point on the engine.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

Application filed. January 22, 1913. Serial No. 743,488.

broken away, of an engine and tender having my invention applied theretotogether with a means for supplying an electric current; Fig. 2 is adiagrammatic view of the circuits; Fig. 3 is an enlarged verticalsection of the three-way valve commanding communication between the mainreservoir and the train pipe; Fig. t is a side elevation,

with parts in section, showing a means for closing the throttle; Fig. 5is a cross section on an enlarged scale, of a conductor section forsupplying current through a trolley; Fig. 6 is a partial, longitudinalsectional view of the conductor section; and Fig. 7 is a plan viewthereof.

I have illustrated my improved trainstopping meansas operated by anelectric current and it will. be understood that the current may besupplied to the engine in any approved manner; as an example, I haveshown a trolley taking the current from an overhead conductor.

In carrying out the invention as illustrated, the locomotive 1O mounts atrolley 11, which may have any approved arrangement of retractile spring11*, to maintain the trolley in position to contact with .a conductorsection 12, hereinafter more particularly described, said conductorsection being supplied with a current .by an auxiliary feeder 13 from amain feeder cable 14: through a switch or controller 15, which isactuated by any approved form of signal 1.6, so that the current will besupplied to the conductor section 12 whenever the signal 16 is set atdanger.

The current passes from the trolley 11 through the wire 17 to a solenoid18, the plunger 1.9 of which is pivotally connected with the longer armof a lever 20 which is fulcrumed on any convenient hanger 21 or othersupport on the engine, the solenoid being in practice, located at anyconvenient The short arm of the lever 20 is pivotally connected with thestem 22 of a piston valve 23 in the valve casing 24, the valve beingadapted to release the air in the train pipe 25.

Instead of releasing the air directly to the atmosphere, I cause it topass to an exhaust reservoir 26, preferably carried at the under side ofthe tender 10. Communication is established between the train pipe 25and exhaust reservoir 26 through a pipe 27 and a U-shaped portcomprising parallel ports 28, 29, formed in the valve 23 and aconnecting port 30. The arrangement is such that the U-shaped port mayestablish connection between the pipe 27 of the exhaust reservoir 26 andan exhaust 31 to the atmosphere, or said U-shaped port may establishconnection between the train pipe and the pipe 27 leading to the exhaustreservoir, as hereinafter explained. The valve 23 is also formed with athrough-port 33, in the form of a straight passage between the trainpipe 25 and the pipe 32 leading from the main reservoir 34 to the valvecasing 24. It is to be understood that the communication between themain reservoir and the train pipe is, in practice, throngh the medium ofthe engineers valve.

In operation, a current passing from the conductor section 12 throu hthe trolley to the solenoid 18, will so roc' the lever 20 as to move thevalve 23 downward in its casing 24,- so that the port or passage 33 willbe out of register with the train pipe 25 and the pipe 32 from the mainreservoir: and at the same time the U-shaped ports 28, 29, will connectthe train pipe 25 with the-pipe 27 leading to the exhaust reservoir 26,the result of which will be that the pressure will be reduced in thetrain pipe 25 sufiiciently to throw the usual air brakes into operationin the ordinary manner. -It will be seen that since the main reservoir34 is cut off from the train pipe 25. the engine'er cannot release thebrakes of the train, and the arrangement and proportions of theconductor section 12 are such as to maintain the current in the solenoiduntil the train is stopped, so that it will be necessary for theengineer to deliberatelybr'eak the electric' circuit in order for thevalve 23 to rise to again establish connection between the train-lineand the main'reservoir, to give the engineer command of the brake sys-The valve 23 is raised by the weight of the plunger 19 of the solenoid,said lunger gravitating to the lower position su ciently to raise thevalve when the circuitis broken as hereinafter described, and theraising of the valve connects the pipe 27 of the exhaust reservoir withthe exhaust 31 to the atmosphere.

The capacity of the exhaust reservoir is such that a reduction ofpressure in the train pipe will be effected sufliciently to apply thebrakes and stop, the train before the pressure is equalized in theexhaust reservoir and train pipe. The eventual equalizing of pressurewill occur, however, after the train stops. The reduction of pressure inthe train pipe will thus be more gradual than if the air in the trainpipe were directly exhausted to the atmosphere, and besides, there willbe no further loss of air from the train pipe after the equalization dfpressure.

The conductor section 12 is' in the form of an overhead trolley approachand support for conductors and is provided \vlth an untial conductorelement 12 with Which the trolley 11 will first contact, said sectionbeing suitably connected as at 13 with the auxiliary feeder 13. A secondconductor element 12", of greater length than the initial conductorelement 12 is provided, and the two conductor elements are insulatedfrom each other and spaced apart a substantial distance by insulatingmaterial 12, the result of which is that the initial contact of thetrolley 11 with the conductor element 12 will cause a partial reductionof pressure in the train line. The initial contact is temporary andterminates when the trolley reaches the insulating material 12; in thecontinued movement of the trolley it will contact with the longerconductor element 12 and effect av final application of the brakes.bringing the train to a stop.

The conductor sections are respectively of such a length that if thetrain is traveling at high speed, as it will ordinarily be if a signalbe ignored, the first conductor section will be traversed so rapidly asto cause the valve to open and close again quickly and not cause it toremain open long enough to reduce the train pipe pressure to a degree tostop the train. but will reduce its speed. The second trolley section,however, is of a length that the valve will be open long enough for thepressure to be reduced for application of the brakes to stop the train.Thus there is an application of the brakes in two stages. he overheadtrolley section has its ends in the form of flaring approaches 12 thatconverge toward the inner ends for properly guiding the trolley to theconductor elements.

In connection with the automatic brakeapplying means. I may provide aswell for throwing the throttle lever automatically by air pressure fromthe main reservoir, and I have illustrated my invention as adapted foruse with a throttle-lever control; thus a three-way valve 35 operates ina valve casing 36 which is connected by a pipe 37 with the mainreservoir 34. and connected by a pipe 38 with a cylinder 39. in whichoperates a piston 40. From the piston rod 40" of the piston 40, aconnecting rod 4-0 extends to a suitable connection with thethrottle-lever 41 for throwing the throttle-open ating rod 42. Thethree-way valve 35 has a U-shaped port 43 for establishing connectionbetween the pipe 38 and an exhaust 44 to the atmosphere, for exhaustingthe cylinder 39 after a stroke of the piston 40. The valve 35 has avsecond port 45 forming a through passage transversely of the valvesimilar to the passage 33 in the valve 23, which when the valve is inthe lower position, establishes communication between the pipe 37 fromthe main reservoir and the pipe 38 to the cylinder 39. The connectionbetween the connecting rod 40 and the throttle lever 41 is through themedium of a bell crank lever 46, one arm of which engages in a slot 47of the lever latch 48 that engages the usual sector 49, so that upon theinitial movement of the piston rod in a forward direction, the bellcrank 46 will release the latch l8, and a continued movement of thepiston will throw the throttle lever 41. The usual latch handle '50 isprovided for the latch -18, that it may be manually operated whendesired, the slot 47 permitting this manual operation. withoutinterference by the bell crank lever 46.

It will be observed that the valve is essentially the same as the valve23, and similarly said valve is operated by means corresponding withthose described in connection. with the valve 23; thus a branch wire 51leads from the wire 17 through a solenoid 52 in the enginecab. Theplunger of the solenoid connects With the long. arm of a lever fulcrumedon a hanger 55 or its equivalent, the shorter arm of the lever beingpivotally connected with the valve stem 56 of the valve 55.

By the described arrangement it will be seen that simultaneously withthe passage of the current to the solenoid 18, it will pass through thewire 51 to the solenoid 52; the circuit, as will be obvious, may begrounded in any suitable manner, as for instance, the wire 1T may leadfrom the solenoid 18 to the body of the locomotive as in Fig. 1.

v In the diagram I have conventionally shown an extension 17 to thewheel 10". Similarly the wire 51 from the solenoid 52 may be connectedsuitably with the body of the engine; .in Fi 2 the circuit is showngrounded conventionally through the wheel 10".

The character 13 indicates the conneetion between the feeder 13 and theconductor section 12". Supporting posts for the conductor section areindicated by the numeral 58. I

The described construction afiords a practical means for carrying myinvention into effect, and I'would state in conclusion that I do notlimit myself strictly to the mechanical details herein illustrated,since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departurefrom the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In an automatic train stop, the combination with the main reservoirand the train pipe, of an exhaust reservoir, a valve casing, and apiston valve movable in said casing. the casing having connection withthe main reservoir and train pipe and with the exhaust reservoir, andhaving an exhaust to the atmosphere, and the valve having a port toestablish communication between the main reservoir and train pipe, and aport adapted to establish communication between the train pipe and theexhaust reservoir or between the exhaust reservoir and the exhaust tothe atmosphere.

:2. In an automatic train stop, the combination with the main reservoirand train pipe, of an exhaust reservoir, a valve casing, a piston valvemovable in said casing, the casing having connection with the mainreservoir and train pipe and With the exhaust reservoir and having alsoan exhaust to the atmosphere, and electrically operated means foractuating the valve, said means con'iprising an electric circuit andserving to move the valve to a position to cut off communication betweenthe main reservoir and train pipe and to permit escape of air from thetrain pipe, said electric means serving to, sustain the valve with thecommunication between the train pipe and reservoir cut oil while thecircuit is closed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK GEORGE BASTIAN. Witnesses:

JAMES F. WARD, HIRAM W. BRoWN.

